


[fic] We're Not Broken, Just Bent

by silly_cleo



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-17
Updated: 2015-07-17
Packaged: 2018-04-09 21:15:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4364432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silly_cleo/pseuds/silly_cleo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kira and Kasidy share a drink.</p>
            </blockquote>





	[fic] We're Not Broken, Just Bent

**Author's Note:**

  * For [parcequelle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/parcequelle/gifts).



Kira sighed, and looked around the Captain’s... no, _her_ office. That wasn’t going to sink in anytime soon, apparently. She checked the time. Her shift had ended quite some time ago, which was sadly not uncommon these days. Enough. It would still be there in the morning. She shut off the terminal and stepped out into Ops.

She nodded to the Bajoran major on duty on her way past, and headed to the Promenade, not quite wanting to go straight to her quarters.

Given the hour, she was surprised to find a knot of people outside the temple. Her surprise became edged with misgiving when she noticed Captain Yates at the centre of the small crowd, looking tense and unhappy. The Bajorans around her, as far as Kira could see, were completely oblivious to her discomfort.

In that moment, Kira was forcibly reminded of the captain, in his first few days... no, years on the station. He had taken a long time to fully come to terms with his position as the Emissary, and to accept the Bajorans' adulation.

How much worse for Captain Yates to find herself in a similar position, not even on her own account, on top of dealing with the Captain's… disappearance.

Well. She hadn't always handled all the facets of her relationship with the captain as well as she would have liked. Maybe she could learn from her mistakes a second time around.

"Good evening. Is everything all right, Captain Yates?"

Captain Yates did a good job of hiding the flicker of relief that rippled across her face, but Kira caught it all the same.

"Everything's fine, Colonel. The baby kicked and startled me, and I attracted a bit of a crowd." She turned to address the gathered Bajorans firmly. "But I'm absolutely fine, thank you all for your concern."

The Bajorans hovered hopefully, glances shifting from Captain Yates's face, to her swelling stomach, to Kira.

"You all heard the Captain. Move along, please." Something in her lurched painfully at hearing Odo's familiar phrase coming out her own mouth.

"Captain Yates, would you like me to escort you back to your quarters?"

The captain nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Colonel, I'd appreciate it."

Kira fell into step beside Captain Yates, deliberately not looking to see whether the knot of Bajorans had begun to disperse.

Belatedly it dawned on her that of course Captain Yates had elected to remain in Captain Sisko's old quarters. Well, at least she knew the way.

She had just resigned herself to a slightly awkward silence for the duration of the walk when Captain Yates broke it.

"How are you settling into running the station, Major... I mean, Colonel?"

"Please, call me Nerys."

"Only if you promise to call me Kasidy."

Kira smiled. "It's a deal. And to answer your question, mostly I seem to have inherited a lot more paperwork."

Kasidy's bark of laughter startled her slightly.

"Sorry. You just reminded me - I always used to tell Ben I didn't join Starfleet because of the paperwork. It's sort of funny to think you're now doing his."

Kira tried to keep her smile reassuring, and scrabbled for something comforting to say. That empty platitudes would be utterly useless, and that Kasidy had had more than enough of them already, was plain.

"I miss him too. Not just as my boss, or as the Emissary, but as my friend."

Kasidy flashed her a grateful smile that lit up her whole face.

"It would be nice to have someone else to talk to about him, with Jake spending so much of his time on Bajor at the moment. I talk to him and Joseph over the comm a lot but it's just not the same."

Something about the direct honesty of Kasidy's words, or maybe something in her expression, prompted Kira to respond in kind.

"I've been finding things a little different too, what with the captain, and Odo, and the O'Briens all gone… and Dax. I mean, Jadzia."

They had reached the Siskos' quarters. Kasidy turned to Kira as she opened the door.

"I know it's late, and I'm sure you have to be up early, but would you like to come in for a nightcap?"

Some of Kira's puzzlement must have shown in her face, because Kasidy continued: "an old Earth term for a drink, usually alcoholic, drunk just before bedtime. I'm surprised you've never heard Vic use it."

"Honestly, half the stuff Vic says, the translators may as well just not be on. But I'd love a drink, actually, thank you."

They settled on the sofas with their drinks. Kira felt her earlier awkwardness return as she looked around the familiar room.

Kasidy, noticing Kira's scrutiny, seemed faintly embarrassed.

"I don't want to change anything. Silly, isn't it?"

"I don't think so. Even without the uncertainty, it's a normal part of..."

"The grieving process?" Kasidy finished. Kira cursed herself.

"Well, yes." Kira sipped her drink absently, not really tasting it. "I've left Odo's quarters exactly as they were. Not that that says much, but I haven't assigned them to anyone else either."

"But he might come back one day."

"One day, maybe. And so might the captain."

"How do you live with that then?"

"I guess you just... make a space for it. Accept that it hurts, and might not stop hurting, and keep on."

"That's a lot easier said than done."

"I never said anything about _easy_."

"You don't go in for easy much though, do you, Colonel?"

"I guess not. I should be going though, it really is late."

Kasidy nodded, and walked her to the door. She was just about to shut it behind Kira when she turned and held out her hand.

"That keeping on you mentioned. Seems to me it would be a lot... easier with a bit of help. What do you think?"

Kira took Kasidy's hand and shook it firmly, feeling as if a load she hadn't realised she'd been carrying had been ever so slightly lightened.

"You've got yourself a deal."


End file.
